It is also used to develop nerve cells, though experts are not entirely sure how it is used for this function. There is a coating on the nerves which encloses them, known as the myelin sheath, which cannot form as effectively when there is a lacking of B12 in the body. The vitamin may play an indirect role in this process, but supplements have been shown to help reduce the pain and various symptoms of nerve disorders, suggesting that it could play a more pivotal role than first thought. Studies show that it can also be effective in helping the growth and repair of cells, as well as helping in the movement of carbohydrates and fat processing in the body.

Vitamin B12 is easy to source from your diet, as there are so many foods which contain it – it’s simply a case of knowing what to include in your diet. You can always take B12 as a supplement as well, if you’d prefer, but the best source really is your diet. Great vitamin B12 foods contain the healthiest dose of this nutrient, so stock up on the following.

Eggs

The yolk of a raw egg contains huge quantities of vitamin B12, and Goose and duck eggs also provide a hefty dose of this nutrient.

Cheese

Not all cheeses work for this, but Swiss, Parmesan, Feta and Mozzarella all contain it, so try to eat a small serving each day in order to contribute towards your daily intake.

Beef

Although there are many cuts which provide vitamin B12 in beef, the best source if chuck beef as this delivers the highest amount.

Lamb

You can source 60 percent of your recommended dose just from one shoulder cut piece of lamb, making it an excellent source of vitamin B12.

Shellfish

It doesn’t matter whether it’s raw, grilled or steamed, there are plenty of varieties of shellfish which could provide you with vitamin B12, including mussels and clams which are loaded with this vitamin.

Caviar

Keeping in line with the fish theme, caviar is a great source – it can provide more than 10 times as much vitamin B12 as chicken eggs!

Seafood

There are plenty of species of fish which could provide you with your daily dose, but crabs, lobster and octopus are just some. Although they aren’t foods you’d eat every day, you should try to incorporate them into your meals if you’re deficient in this vitamin.

Milk

Possibly the simplest way to get vitamin B12 into your diet regularly, milk is loaded with this nutrient. In addition, many cereals are fortified with vitamin B12, so simply by having your breakfast cereal each morning, you’re supplementing the vitamin B12 in your body with a healthy daily dose.

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We tend to think only of humans where vaccines are concerned, assuming that pets are able to fight off any disease they may encounter. However, this is not actually the case, and there are various illnesses which could prove to be fatal for some animals if they aren’t properly protected. Your pets are at risk of catching diseases that could put their health at risk, which is why vaccinations, as with adults, are so important. Yet many people don’t bother to get their pets vaccinated, due to cost or simply a lack of understanding about its importance, which can leave them at risk of developing dangerous conditions that could put their lives at risk.

For example, distemper is passed from dog to dog and is displayed in symptoms such as a runny nose and sickness. It can even lead to twitching and fits in the animal – it can be potentially fatal if left untreated, requiring immediate veterinary attention is spotted. Likewise, canine hepatitis is extremely infectious and affects the liver of the dog. Dogs with this disease will have a high temperature, pale gums, diarrhoea and sickness, and generally seem under the weather. Again, it is potentially fatal. Parvo is a very dangerous illness for animals, leading to extreme sickness and problems with the dogs breathing and heart. Unfortunately, most dogs who catch this disease rarely survive it, even with treatment from a vet as it damages the body too much.

It’s for reasons such as this that you should get your animals vaccinated, and not just dogs. There are vaccinations for a variety of pets in order to protect them against harmful illnesses and diseases that affect their species. Many illnesses are now rarely seen amongst animals, unlike years prior when many animals became severely ill due to a lack of preventative treatments. If vaccinations increase, these levels of disease could drop even further. When puppies and kittens are born, they are generally protected from infections through their mother’s milk, as long as she has been vaccinated herself. This only lasts a few weeks though, which is why they require regular vaccinations from an early age in order to protect them. Typically, puppies are vaccinated at eight and ten weeks, kittens at nine and twelve weeks, and young pets should be given a booster at 12 months. Even rabbits require regular vaccines in order to stay healthy and protected from infection.

Dogs are generally routinely vaccinated against canine parvovirus, distemper, leptospirosis and canine hepatitis. It’s particularly important that these vaccines are given if your dog will be spending a lot of time in kennels, as they will be more prone to catching infections such as kennel cough. Cats tend to be vaccinated against feline infectious enteritis, feline herpes virus, feline calicivirus and feline leukaemia virus, however it’s advised that only cats at risk should have a vaccination for this particular disease. Rabbits should be routinely vaccinated for Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD). Older pets often need a booster shot as well, as their health declines and they are less able to defend themselves against infections. A regular check-up with your animal’s vet will ensure that they get the routine checks they require, as well as being checked for any symptoms of disease and potentially fatal ailments. Much like humans, animals are only able to fend off so many bacterial viruses, after which they need assistance in the form of medication. In order to make sure your pet stays healthy, book them in for routine check-ups each year to stay on top of their health with low cost pet vaccinations.

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The Sun Salutation is a common position associated with yoga and is a Surya Manaska method for people who have never performed yoga before. This is a simple and easy-to-perform workout which uses a combination of energy, form and rhythm. The Sun Salutation stimulates your neuro-muscular system and keeps the balance between your body and mind. You should practice this for at least 15 days before moving on to other meditative postures.

You begin by standing with your palms folded in Namaskara Mudra in front of your chest, keeping your feet closed together. Keep your breathing normal and try to relax, in order to calm your mind.

The second position involves raising your hands upwards whilst keeping your palms in the same position, so that your hands are now touching your ears – now stretch your hands and abdomen upwards as far as you can, inhaling as you do so.

Bend forward and keep your palms at the side of your respective feet, making sure that your forehead is touching your knees and exhale.

In the fourth position, you need to sit down on your toes and push your right leg backwards – this will mean your left leg is automatically in front between your palms. Look straight ahead as you do this and inhale, as well as raising your head a little.

Take your left leg back, which was in front of you, then raise your hips upwards, making them align with your head – support this action with your hands and exhale, remaining calm all the while.

In the sixth position, you can now lower your body with the support of your palms onto the ground, ensuring that your knees, head and chest are touching the ground. If you can, try to hold your breath here before moving on to the seventh position.

Keeping your waist lower and raising the upper parts of your body, keep your hands straight and inhale again. The breathing techniques in yoga are important to balance the body and mind, and to maintain a sense of calm.

Bring your head down to the ground and raise your hips in a V-like shape, looking towards your heels and exhaling. You can then move on to repeating the previous movements, like so - for the ninth position, repeat the fourth pose and draw air in. In the tenth position, repeat the third pose and exhale. Repeat position number two and inhale, before returning to the initial pose and breathing normally once more.

Yoga is a complex art, but this is a relatively simple workout which can revitalise you in the mornings and improve your flexibility before moving on to more advanced poses.

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Space out your snacks

Kids live for those afternoon treats, but more often than not they result in sugary snacks, crisps and fizzy drinks which do nothing for their health and offer no nutritional value. The first rule of thumb should be to limit your kids snacks to just two a day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You can keep these healthy, too, simply by being smart about how you serve them. For example, keep a big bar of chocolate in the cupboard and cut it up into regular squares or chunks, so that the kids get a sweet treat without eating an entire bar – not only is it good for their health but it’s cost effective as well.

Keep an eye on your snacks as well as theirs, so that you all eat more nutritionally beneficial meals instead of empty calories. And if they’re still claiming hunger pangs after you think they’ve had enough, give them a drink – sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Water or skimmed milk make healthier alternatives to fizzy drinks and sugar-laden squash.

Keep an eye on the treats

If you’re busy, quick food fixes are easy to rely on – however, that can mean that your child ends up eating junk food, if you’re opting for ready meals and fatty foods such as nuggets and chips. Look for healthier alternatives that kids will love and you’ll feel happier about them eating. Look for foods which count towards their five a day quota, such as tomato sauces on pasta, soups and vegetable sticks with houmous.

Be creative

Kids love a bit of creativity, so why not look for fun names to call meals to encourage them to eat them (and also request healthier meals in the future!). For example, spaghetti and meatballs can be shoelaces and footballs; carrot sticks and broccoli could be fairy wands and little trees. You can also get them to help make and prepare meals, so that they have fun and feel more inclined to eat healthy dishes. The moment your kids start to feel more involved in the process, they’ll be more tempted to taste their creation and it will encourage healthy habits. You can also create five a day charts, so that they can keep count of their fruit and veg intake – if they meet their goal, they get a treat such as an extra bedtime story.

Replace junk food with healthy alternatives

If there’s no sweet treats and crisps in the house, you and your kids will both stop craving them. Clear out the nuggets, chips and pizzas from the freezer and replace with vegetables or fruit. You can look for healthy snacks to offer kids too, such as popcorn, vegetable crudités and dip, fruit salads and yoghurt. You’ll be surprised how quickly kids forget about those sugar cravings once they have something healthier to snack on – nutritious drinks also count towards, so why not make tasty smoothies for snack time or offer a milk-based drink before bedtime for a calcium boost.

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The food pyramid was created in 2005 as a way to encourage children to eat a more balanced diet, and to combat the increasing obesity crisis which continues to plague many countries across the globe. The pyramid works in exactly the same way as the original adult design does, but with varied food recommendations in order to tailor a child’s diet to their bodily needs. The pyramid follows the following rules, targeting children aged two to eight:

To begin with, each day, children should be eating three to five ounces of grain or cereal foods. This includes bread, pasta and rice, and a one ounce serving would look like half a cup of pasta or rice, or one slice of bread. Where possible, whole grain varieties of this section of the pyramid can offer more health benefits.

Two cups of dairy foods, including cheese, milk and yoghurt. As before, there are healthier alternatives to the generally fatty varieties of dairy products, which means seeking out low-fat natural yoghurt, skimmed milk and opting for cheeses with less fat. Protein is vital in our diets, particularly for children as they’re growing and need the fuel for muscle growth. This should make up two to four ounces of a child’s diet, and can be sourced from lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and poultry meats. Just one egg or one tablespoon of peanut butter makes up one ounce serving of protein foods.

Fruit and vegetables are important in any diet, thanks to the vast array of nutrients and fibre they provide. One and a half cups of fruit should be included each day, in addition to one and a half cups of vegetables. A serving tends to be a handful in most cases, so aiming for a minimum of five should cover this portion of the pyramid. For example, a medium orange, banana or apple, or a cup of canned or frozen fruit all counts. Likewise, one cup of boiled, steamed or raw veggies will be a great addition to your diet.

Lastly, three to four teaspoons of fats and oils should be included. Many people fear adding fats to their diet due to the constant reports claiming how bad they are for our health. However, the body does need some fats in order to fuel itself and stay healthy – it all depends on the source of those fats as to the benefits or damage they cause. Omega-3 fatty acids are great sources, such as in oily fish, nuts and seeds, as are olive oils. It’s thought that just 80 percent of people are aware of the food pyramid, and only eight percent actually follow its guidelines.

In addition to these dietary guidelines, exercise should play an important part of the weekly routine – experts recommend at least 30 minutes a day, which can be anything from walking to cycling, or a gym session. Making exercise more fun, such as choosing a vibrant dance class or going for a jog with music, means you’ll be more motivated to stick to a regular routine. You should also aim to drink plenty of fluids, as these help the body function effectively and flush out any toxins from the body – experts recommend around six to eight glasses a day, which can be in the form of squash and other water-based beverages as well. Following these guidelines will not only ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy, but it will also encourage you to maintain a balanced weight and reduce the risk of weight-related diseases.

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Some of the early signs are there when children don’t meet the milestones attributed to their age, though this isn’t always the case, as previously mentioned. Some of these include standing unassisted, crawling, waving and other simple gestures, and various other motor skills. Some children who have Aspergers syndrome fail to meet these, which could be a sign that they have the condition. Within the first few months of life, for example, a child with the condition may fail to interact with their environment such as avoiding eye contact or limiting interactions with other people, preferring to be solitary. As they grow, they will struggle to react with objects and activities, as well as developing repetitive behavioural traits, such as rocking.

Aspergers in children can be signalled by abnormal methods of non-verbal communication, such as in their subdued facial expressions or in body gestures. They will also lack social skills attributed to someone of their age who doesn’t have the condition – this is one of the most common symptoms of the syndrome, with infants and toddlers displaying this through not smiling, for example, until much later in life. They may become irritable or cry when confronted with social contact or interaction with other people, and this will become more apparent as they age. Their language development will be different to children without Aspergers, in that by 12 months most children will be able to say singular words – children with the condition will exhibit more unusual words even though they’ve met this milestone. Additionally, more complex words, such as Mountain or Sheetrock will be said before simpler words such as Mummy or Daddy.

Children with Aspergers have an obsessive trait with complex topics, such as the pattern on a fabric or in a book, and babies with the condition may start to listen to music that would generally be ignored by other children their age. They will struggle to notice other things within the environment once they’ve focused in on their obsession, and behavioural conditioning will be necessary in order to resolve this particular symptom. Studies suggest that they will have poor coordination and will move more clumsily than other children their age. This is common in children with Aspergers and can delay their ability to crawl or walk, as well as their ability to develop fine motor skills, such as grasping objects. It’s common that in infants and toddlers, the specific symptoms may not be visible but that certain behavioural abnormalities are noticed, which could act as a warning sign. This is generally repetitive habits, a difficulty with language and speech, and an advanced vocabulary. If you think that your child may be showing some of the signs that a child with Aspergers may exhibit, it’s advised that you seek a test from your GP in order to rule out the condition.

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This isn’t quite the case though, leaving many people without any cover when they become ill or need treatments. Many experts and lawyers have stated that there should be clear warnings against this kind of activity and about the misleading sales pitches luring people into using them. Yet despite the risks, many people simply aren’t reading the fine print and are getting caught out by large bills and pricey treatments that they believed themselves to be covered for. Many medical discount companies claim that they can provide large savings on GP visits and treatments, prescriptions and even dental exams. However, this is simply not the case as they are unable to fulfil these claims. Consumers have been warned to be very sceptical of these types of promotions and should ask for as much information as they can in order to gain a full understanding before taking out any enrolment on these schemes.

In a recent lawsuit in Florida, a law firm won a case in which a company had pitched that its product could act as health insurance when it was in actual fact just a discount card – and with very little saving with even that. The monthly cost for the card, which had a limited use, was more than $100 – over 80 percent of people who had signed up to the card programme had ended their subscription within a six month period. In another case, a man in California is suing a company who he had taken out a programme with after he had suffered with a stroke and was landed with a $400,000 medical care bill – his card only covered him for $4500, yet he was unaware until the bill arrived. He hopes to gain compensation for the misleading claims the discount card offered when he took out the scheme.

Not all of the cards are made equal though. Some do offer genuine savings and can cover prescription expenses and medical procedures. But none of them are health insurance, something which is misleading in a number of claims. Experts are advising people to read the small print and gather as much information as they can before enrolling in any scheme, as well as being fully aware that, although they may gain a deal on their medical expenses, they aren’t covered for large claims in the same way insurance provides back-up. It’s also suggested that people get full information about the refund policy before they enrol, so that they are able to exit the programme if need be, without racking up a large debt. If it’s difficult to get the information, it’s not worth taking a risk if anything goes wrong, so you should look elsewhere for a similar deal or a different programme. It’s also worth doing your sums beforehand and checking that it is worth the money and the risk before you sign any papers.

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In the early 1900s, Dr Mehnert, a German pioneer, first noticed the dramatic success of the root tuber of this African herb, and so Devil’s Claw began to gain popularity in Europe. Today, the root tuber is often used in supplements to treat many types of aches and pains. Wellness experts the effectiveness of Devil’s Claw down to it’s content of harpagosides. Research shows that this vital ingredient has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, and so this makes Devil’s Claw a useful remedy for a wide variety of joint conditions.

Back pain can be effectively relieved with Devil’s Claw. According to a study published in the journal Phytotherapy, the most effective dose of the supplement is four 600mg tablets per day. For the study, people with severe, long-term back pain either took this dose or a placebo for four weeks, and those who took the herb experienced a significant reduction in their back pain. However, Devil’s Claw did not seem to benefit those whose back pain had radiated down to their legs.

Another condition which receives monumental relief with Devil’s Claw is arthritis. A clinical trial looked at the effects of the herb on people with moderate, rather than severe, chronic arthritis, giving some participants two 600mg tablets per day over eight weeks, while others received a placebo. The study showed that those who took Devil’s Claw found a greater improvement in their joint pain and spinal mobility than the placebo group.

However, if you have gallstones or stomach acidity, you should not take Devil’s Claw, as the herb stimulates bile action. Yet, as Devil’s Claw does not work in the same way as conventional arthritis medicines do, it will not cause the associated upset stomach. There are actually very few side effects reported for Devil’s Claw, but, as with any supplement, you should consult your doctor before taking it.

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Firstly, sugar is a major culprit in making you look older. When you have excess levels of sugar in your body, the sugar attaches to your collagen which makes your skin look stiff and inflexible. In her book, Diet Myths Busted; Food Facts Not Nutrition Fiction, Ann A. Rosenstein writes, ‘losing this elastic resilience of young skin will give the skin deep wrinkles and make it look old.’ She adds that trans fats work much the same way, making your skin look old because ‘trans fats clog and stiffen the arteries and smaller blood vessels.’

Salt is another dietary ingredient which ages you. Salt dehydrates your body, which makes you fatigued and looking more tired and worn out. Excess levels of salt also contribute to kidney disease, high blood pressure and interfere with bone metabolism, so it’s a big no-no for your overall wellbeing. Another dehydrating aspect of your diet is coffee, as caffeine also makes your look and feel tired and worn out.

According to The Dr Oz Show, consuming too much alcohol also dehydrates your body, leading to face full of wrinkles, redness and puffiness, with a lot less collagen. If you’re thinking you can simply replace your usual with an energy drink, think again. Dr Oz asserts that energy drinks damage the enamel in your teeth eight times more than fizzy drinks do, and this makes your teeth look yellow and unhealthy.

When it comes to fizzy drinks, they tend to dehydrate your body and make you look older as they are high in sugar. GalTime.com advises water as the best replacement for fizzy drinks, energy drinks, caffeine and alcohol: ‘A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces. So if you weight 130 lbs, you need 65 ounces of water a day – just over eight cups.’ The website also notes that fried food contributes to collagen break down in your skin, which makes you look wrinkled and worn out.

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Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that can damage and badly affect the small intestine. It does not allow nutrients to absorb properly when foods containing gluten are ingested and this can be very problematic for the body. Gluten is found in a number of foodstuffs such as wheat, rye, barley and triticale so problems can be very common. Individuals with celiac disease must eliminate foods with this protein or risk further problems in their body. If it is left unmanaged, celiac disease can lead to rapid bone destruction and severe osteoporosis.

This was certainly true for the Bobel family. This family first learned that they were at risk for this debilitating disease when Rebecca Bobel, 72, fractured her pelvis, hip and tailbone when she was only 50 years old.

At this point she was diagnosed with osteoporosis at the time and doctors later learned that she carries the gene for celiac disease. Bobel then went on to develop hypothyroidism and vitamin D deficiencies, which is are known to be very common in people who have autoimmune diseases. Today, she continues to receive treatment for each of these conditions and they have a bad effect on her health and wellbeing.

People with a single autoimmune disorder can be at risk for developing other autoimmune disorders too. This was extremely apparent with the Bobel family, where it was seen that there was more than one disorder in each family member who was treated.

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